Information

Contact

This virtual exhibit explores how the traditional skill of matmaking became a means to earn a living for women in Placentia West. For as long as anyone remembers, women in Placentia West made mats from scraps of old clothing to help keep their homes clean and warm.

History of the Matmaking Industry in Placentia West

In the mid-1970s, the local development coordinator, Lois Saunders, saw the potential in this skill and suggested they make a few mats using scenic designs inspired by what they saw around them. From this, the Placentia West Matmakers was born. Their mats were soon a high demand item being sold locally, nationally and internationally. For women who had little opportunity to work outside the home, this was an excellent chance to earn their own cash doing something they enjoyed while developing their creative talents at the same time.

Enter this exhibit and learn about Newfoundland culture and the ingenuity of a people who created such beauty with so few resources. You will see some of the handiwork of women who pioneered recycling as a way of life, creating from it both a work of art and a source of income.